AVIATION WEATHER

DEBBIE SCHAUM

Self- Briefing Procedures

• Weather Awareness – Big picture, what’s the general weather along

your route. – Look outside

– Look at the weather on the TV– Get the big picture from your home computer

Self Briefing cont.

• Are you ready to fly this mission?

- Are you qualified to fly in these conditions? - Do you have the experience to take on this mission?- Are you physically capable?- Are you mentally ready?

Things you need to know

• What type of aircraft• Limits of aircraft• Proposed flight level• Take off and destination forecast• Hazards enroute• Winds enroute• Time enroute

Weather information

• Current weather– Surface analysis– Weather depiction– Radar summary– Satellite– METARS along route– Pireps

Weather Information Cont.• Forecast Weather

– TAFS for takeoff and departure– Prog charts valid for flight time– Hazard forecast valid for flight time– Hazards at your flight level– Discussion bulletins that apply to your

route of flight

Alternates and Flight Paths• An Alternate is used if the weather at your

destination is not suitable for landing.• Winds are too strong or creating too much of a

crosswind• Thunderstorms/severe weather are over the field• Visibilities are below pilot’s/plane’s minimum

capabilities• Ceiling is too low• Runway is icy or snow covered

Weather Data Sources

ERAU WX

• http://wx.erau.edu/data/• Good satellite and radar images; access to

WSI data; limited surface and forecast graphics; does not have upper air or model graphics data.

Graphical data allows route planning

Then pick additionalInformation for your route of flight

Aviation Weather Center

• http://aviationweather.gov/• http://adds.aviationweather.gov/• Good for aviation weather hazards; good

satellite access; icing and turbulence information; pilot reports; some manual forecast graphics; access to experimental aviation hazard products (ADDS); lacks model data; lacks public weather

National Weather Service

• http://weather.gov/• Good overview of public weather; click on

organization to get web listings for all local NWS offices

HOURLY WEATHER GRAPHTake off data

Runway

Cross winds

Chance ofPrecip

NCAR-RAP

• http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather• Aviation oriented web page; forecast

model graphics are useful aviation planning (clouds, winds, etc); has links to other related weather web sites.

• Vertical profile data (Skew-T/Log P)

Using the ADDS Flight Planning Tool

• Go to http://adds.aviationweather.gov/• Click on Java Tools

• Launch new FPT (Flight Path Tool)• Select your flight altitude

• Click on Configure and Identify the items you want displayed

Creating a cross sectional view• Click on airplane button on left side.• Place cursor on starting location and left

click (should put a 1 on that location)• Move your mouse to your destination and

left click (should put a 2 on that location)• Continue to all your destinations• When complete right click and click on

show cross-section.

Cross section cont.

• This should display a cross section view.• It will always have your starting destination

on the left side.• Along the bottom you will find all the

information you requested by rolling over the points

METARS/TAFS

• METAR is Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report – It is the observation of current conditions– By the time it is online it is old information

• TAF is Terminal Airdrome Forecast– Provide a forecast of weather conditions at an

airport for the next 6-24 hours.

New TAF FormatExample

KABC 131128Z 131212 14005KT P6SM SCT025 OVC040 TEMPO 1216 OVC025 FM1600 13015G23KT P6SM OVC015FM2100 13015G22KT P6SM OVC008TEMPO 2101 1SM -SN FM0100 09015KT 3SM BR OVC006 TEMPO 1401/1405 2SM -SN BLSNFM0500 01015KT 5SM BR OVC006

KABC 131128Z 1312/1418 14005KT P6SM SCT025 OVC040TEMPO 1312/1316 OVC025FM131600 13015G23KT P6SM OVC015FM132100 13015G22KT P6SM OVC008TEMPO 1321/1401 1SM -SNFM140100 09015KT 3SM BR OVC006TEMPO 1401/1405 2SM -SN BLSNFM141500 01015KT 5SM BR OVC006

NOW AFTER Nov 5th, 2008

Forecasting toolshttp://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/SREF_avia/FCST/

AVN/web_site/visb/cnv_com_09z_prb1.htm

Great aviation tool for looking up to 63 hrs into futureFlight restriction probabilitiesCeiling and cloud topsLow level wind shearIcing potential up to FL 240Turbulence potential FL 180 and higherPrecip probabilityFog probability

SREFValid time

Time of origin

Probability

Food for thought